The invention relates generally to the field of sound reproduction systems, and more particularly, to a calibration system for calibrating multi-channel sound reproduction systems.
With the advent of multi-channel 3-D sound systems that combine a loudspeaker playback system and a multi-channel sound processor (e.g., Soundblaster LIVE!, manufactured by assignee of the present application), calibration and tuning of the sound system is necessary for the listener to experience the maximum benefit.
FIG. 1 shows a representation of a top view of a listening room 150 that includes four loudspeakers 152, 154, 156 and 158. The loudspeakers have been positioned in the listening room by a listener 160 who is positioned at a particular listening position in the room. Due to the geometry of the room and the position of the listener, the loudspeakers are located at positions that are not equidistant from the listener or uniformly spaced. Furthermore, the loudspeakers may have different electro-acoustic characteristics (for instance, some of the loudspeakers may be from different manufacturers).
As a result of loudspeaker characteristics and/or of the loudspeaker and listener positions in FIG. 1, sounds that are reproduced by the loudspeakers may not achieve their intended sound qualities. For example, the perceived spatial positions of the sounds may not appear to the listener as intended. Also, the positions of the loudspeakers may introduce subtle distortion effects such as phase or delay mismatches that can degrade the quality of the perceived sound.
Thus, many users purchase multi-loudspeaker systems but do not experience the intended 3-D sound experience because they are unable to position the loudspeakers correctly or are unable to calibrate the characteristics of the multi-loudspeaker sound system properly to achieve the intended and desired sound quality.
The present invention includes a calibration system that allows users of multi-channel loudspeaker systems to calibrate their sound systems properly to achieve the intended sound quality. According to one aspect of the present invention, an intuitive, interactive system and method for calibrating sound systems includes graphical displays to guide a user through a calibration session.
According to another aspect of the invention, a virtual room with virtual loudspeaker systems is displayed and the user interacts with mobile elements of the virtual representation to calibrate his/her sound system according to the location and/or characteristics of the real loudspeakers connected to it.
According to another aspect of the invention, the user can adjust the perceived sound quality by modifying the layout of the virtual loudspeaker systems in the virtual representation in order to match the layout of the real loudspeakers with respect to the listener""s position.
According to another aspect of the invention, the user""s interaction with the virtual representation causes the production of test signals over the real loudspeakers, and allows the user to adjust aspects of the perceived sound quality of this sound stimulus.
In one embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for calibrating a sound system that includes a plurality of loudspeakers. The method comprises steps of mapping the plurality of loudspeakers into a virtual loudspeaker system representation displayable to a user, activating at least one calibration function that creates a calibration signal that is reproduced by one or more of the plurality of loudspeakers to produce a calibration sound perceivable by the user, modifying the virtual loudspeaker system representation to include a virtual calibration indicator that indicates a characteristic of the calibration signal and adjusting the virtual calibration indicator based on a user input, wherein when the virtual calibration indicator is adjusted, a corresponding adjustment is made to the characteristic of the calibration signal until a selected calibration sound is achieved.
In another embodiment of the invention, apparatus is provided for calibrating a sound system that includes a plurality of loudspeakers. The apparatus comprises a display, an input device operable by a user, a sound generator coupled to the loudspeakers, the sound generator generates at least one calibration signal that has at least one characteristic, the at least one calibration signal is reproduced by one or more of the loudspeakers to produce a calibration sound that is perceivable by the user, and a processor coupled to the display, the input device and the sound generator, the processor is operable to map the plurality of loudspeakers into a virtual loudspeaker system representation that is displayable to the user on the display, activate the sound generator to generate the at least one calibration signal, modify the virtual loudspeaker system representation to include a virtual calibration indicator that indicates the at least one characteristic of the at least one calibration signal, and adjust the virtual calibration indicator based on a user input, wherein when the virtual calibration indicator is adjusted, a corresponding adjustment is made to the characteristic of the calibration signal until a selected calibration sound is achieved.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent in view of the following detailed description and appended drawings.